Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas represent the composer’s life journey, both as a composer and human being. From the early sonatas, which are stylistically akin to those of Mozart or Haydn, through to the final six, which are amongst the most sublime works ever written for the instrument. They are often performed as a complete cycle. However, they are rarely heard altogether. Pianist Julian Jacobson, one of the pianists taking part in this festival, achieved this extraordinary feat last year at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London.

St Barnabas church in Ealing is presenting a major piano festival celebrating Beethoven, by programming all 32 Sonatas over a period of two days. This is the third Beethoven festival at the church and it takes place on  Saturday May 17th and Sunday May 18th (from 2.00 pm to 10.00 pm) and the works will be performed by a distinguished team of 32 pianists. There are afternoon sessions from 2 to 6 pm and  evening sessions from 7 to 10 pm on each day, with regular intervals for refreshments (tea and supper are available).

The church houses a superb Bosendorfer concert grand, used by the BBC at Maida Vale studios for broadcasts.  Concerts are held ‘in the round’, with the piano and musicians in the centre of the nave, so everyone is reasonably close to the performers.  A state-of-the-art projection system will be in operation allowing everyone in the audience to see the pianist – and their hands – at close quarters, transforming the whole experience.

All 32 pianists will contribute substantially to this immense musical journey, from the first work, Op 2 no 1, on Saturday afternoon, to the great Op 111 on Sunday evening.  They come from all over the world and cover a wide age range. Many have won major piano awards and enjoy distinguished careers. Hearing them play in succession on the same piano will no doubt prove endlessly fascinating.

Admission for each session will be £12 (£6 for students/young people), or £40 for the entire festival.  No tickets will be issued beforehand, so you can just turn up on the day. The church is very large so admission is guaranteed.  There is ample free parking in nearby streets.  All proceeds will go towards St Barnabas church funds. The Church wants to raise over £100,000 following the installation of a new organ, so you can enjoy some of the most profound piano music and support a very worthy cause.  

Here’s the programme:

	Saturday Afternoon	May 17th
2.00	Kathron Sturrock	F minor	Op 2 no 1
2.25	Colin Stone	A major	Op 2 no 2
2.50	interval
3.00	Seta Tanyel	C major	Op 2 no 3
3.25	Aristo Sham	E flat major	Op 7
3.55	Tea
4.25	Veronika Shoot	C minor	Op 10 no 1
4.45	Yoriko Wakabayashi	F major	Op 10 no 2
5.00	interval
5.10	Meng Yang Pan	D major	Op 10 no 3
5.35	Maria Setiadi	C minor	Op 13
6.00	SUPPER
	Saturday Evening	May 17th
7.00	Julian Jacobson	E major	Op 14 no 1
7.15	Mariko Brown	G major	Op 14 no 2
7.30	Nafis Umerkulova	B flat major	Op 22
7.55	interval
8.10	Danielle Salamon	E flat major	Op 27 no 1
8.25	Tadashi Imai	C# minor	Op 27 no 2
8.40	interval
8.55	Karim Said	D major	Op 28
9.20	Olga Paliy	G major	Op 31 no 1
	Sunday Afternoon	May 18th
2.00	Andrew Brownell	A flat major	Op 26
2.20	Reiko Fujisawa	D minor	Op 31 no 2
2.45	Dina Diusen	E flat major	Op 31 no 3
3.05	interval
3.15	Alice Pinto	G minor	Op 49 no 1
3.25	Viv McLean	G major	Op 49 no 2
3.35	Simon Watterton	C major	Op 53
4.00	Chinatsu Izumikawa	F major	Op 54
4.10	TEA
4.40	Angela Brownridge	F minor	Op 57
5.05	Marcus Andrews	F# major	Op 78
5.15	Aleksandra Myslek	G major	Op 79
5.30	Alexander Soares	E flat major	Op 81a
5.45	Gamal Khamis	E minor	Op 90
6.00	SUPPER
	Sunday Evening	May 18th
7.00	Jayson Gillham	A major	Op 101
7.25	Hugh Mather	B flat major	Op 106
8.10	interval
8.25	Mishka Rushdie Momen	E major	Op 109
8.45	interval
9.00	Pavel Timofejevsky	A flat major	Op 110
9.30	Mikhail Shilyaev	C minor	Op 111